Two foreign resources executives killed multiple employees unlawfully but unintentionally, a court found.
A Byrnecut Group manager and mine manager were recently found guilty of involuntary manslaughter at Trevali’s Perkoa mine, 120km west of Ouagadougou.
A Burkina Faso court heard torrential rainfall and flash-flooding fatally drowned eight underground mine workers during the country’s dry season back in April 2022.
Rescue workers initially thought some missing employees could have survived in a refuge chamber about 570 metres beneath the surface. However, they discovered the area was empty one month later. The recovery effort took more than 66 days to completely remove the last of the bodies in June.
Grieving loved ones accused the employers of involuntary homicide, endangering lives and failing to help those in danger.
Subsidiary Nantou Mining confirmed the Perkoa mine manager was handed a 24-month suspended sentence, while the Byrnecut manager received a 12-month suspended sentence according to Reuters.
Burkina Faso Prime Minister Albert Ouedraogo also banned the pair from leaving the country during formal investigations, which were still underway at the time of publication.
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